With busy schedules, students often find it hard to justify sitting down in the dining commons for an extended lunch or dinner. Many students now take advantage of the carryout containers offered in the dining commons. In an effort to be more sustainable, Penn State Food Services has found a solution with reusable plastic containers.

While many students were enjoying their final day of winter break, one group of students was back on campus and savoring something sweet. Student managers, trainers, and culinary liaisons from Penn State Food Services were treated to an afternoon workshop and reception in Pollock Commons on Jan. 10 to jump-start the spring semester.

Students returning to campus last week stepped into a different Pollock Dining Commons from what they remembered. Over the summer, the dining commons underwent renovations to update the building's infrastructure, accommodate more students and offer a new menu of choices.

This fall, Penn State Campus Dining will begin collecting polystyrene and working with the Office of Physical Plant, the Campus Sustainability Office and Dart Container Corporation to have it recycled into reusable products.

For the third year, the Passover Buffet at Waring Dining Commons will be open to Jewish students, faculty and staff who adhere to kosher dietary laws. Meals can be purchased with the Campus Meal Plan, as well as cash and LionCash+. No payment is required in advance. Beginning on April 19, the Passover area will serve lunch and dinner through Passover week. The lunch menu will feature a dairy menu, which includes matzoh pizza, vegetables, tossed salad, cheeses, fresh fruits and more. For dinner, students will enjoy a meat menu, which will feature baked chicken, matzoh ball soup, vegetables, tossed salad, fresh fruit, desserts and more.

An issue making headlines these days is the highly publicized food recall involving eggs in the United States and the more than 1,000 cases of salmonella reported. The tainted eggs have not reached Pennsylvania and Penn State Campus Dining is following its well-established procedures for monitoring and responding to food issues that might affect its services.

With a new school year revving up at Penn State, Campus Dining is continuing to offer a wide selection of menu options in the dining commons. By making these diverse choices available, Campus Dining hopes it can encourage and teach Penn Staters to eat smart.

The tall stately oak trees between McKee and Watts halls have a new neighbor. On April 30, Waring Dining Commons, along with Office of Physical Plant, planted a dogwood tree in the West Halls courtyard to celebrate Arbor Day.

A few days before Duke took care of business in the NCAA championship, another March Madness tournament was coming to a close. The balls and prizes were a little smaller and the stakes weren't as high, but don't say that to the fiercely competitive students who gave it their all.

The popular on-campus singing competition "North Idol" is back for its second year with a mission to find what student has the pipes to become the next voice of Penn State. The event is at 6 p.m. on April 13 at Bluespoon Market in the North Halls Food District. Students can register at Bluespoon during normal business hours before April 6. Students must be registered to participate.